Midweek Roundup: Bill Comes Due
Washington’s Senate has introduced a $2 billion bond package to fund highway and bridge upkeep, marking a shift toward debt financing after years of regressive taxes. The proposal allocates modest resources to transit and ferries, sparking concerns among public‑transport advocates. Meanwhile, regional projects move forward: WSDOT backs Alternative 2 for the I‑90 Rainier Ave upgrade, Issaquah outlines a faster, cheaper 4‑Line plan, and King County unveils a 72% boost to weekend bus service. Additional developments include a new credit‑card surcharge on state ferries and Washington’s pioneering statewide sidewalk inventory.
Current and Proposed Overnight Service Along the Link 1 Line
Sound Transit’s 2026 Service Plan proposes an overnight bus corridor mirroring the Link 1 and 2 lines, with a pilot launching March 28 between downtown Seattle and SeaTac at roughly 30‑minute intervals. The full service, extending to Everett, Tacoma and Lakewood, is...
Tap to Pay Starts
Open payments, branded as Tap to Pay, launched today on Sound Transit and Metro, allowing riders to use credit cards and digital wallets alongside ORCA cards. Early adopters report ambiguous on‑board confirmations, making it unclear which card is charged and...
Crosslake Simulated Service Suspended Indefinitely (Update: Service Has Resumed)
A power outage between Bel‑Red and Downtown Redmond forced Sound Transit to suspend simulated service on the 2 Line, halting trains across the Eastside corridor. The agency issued a series of five contradictory alerts, leaving riders uncertain about which segments...
Friday Roundtable: ORCA Tap to Pay Begins on Monday
Sound Transit announced that ORCA’s Tap to Pay system will launch on February 23, 2026, allowing riders to tap a credit or debit card—or a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay—directly at fare readers. The...